ALEJANDRA VARELA PERERA
No soy de aquí, ni soy de allá

Press Release

Curated by Paola Shiamtani

Opening on September 12th, 2024 at 7pm

           

Galleria Patricia Armocida is pleased to present No soy de aquí, ni soy de allá, a debut solo show in Italy by Mexican artist Alejandra Varela Perera (b. 1995, Mexico City) opening on September 12th, 2024. The exhibition showcases the artist’s latest and extensive body of work, featuring predominantly paintings alongside sculptures, intricate metal etchings, drawings, and amulets.

Considering the ties between depiction and power, Varela Perera’s compositions embrace folk motifs and ancient symbolism—such as sacred hearts, carved zigzags, and spirals—while subverting traditional conventions of portraiture to narrate stories of cherished places and people spanning Milan and Mexico City. Her canvases bear words that pose riddles, few scattered numbers and subjects that often resonate with celebrated themes of twentieth-century Mexican muralism, where “gods, kings, chiefs of state, heroic generals” were overtaken by the representation of “the masses” and common people (D. Rivera), reconsidering stereotypical definitions and visual vocabularies of authority. As if lifted from such expansive works of crowded nature - populated by multitudes, Varela Perera’s figures stand solitary or in pairs, like forces in orbit, offering intimate glimpses into the artist’s lived experiences and the duality of navigating between two conditions—reflecting both her personal relationships and the broader socio-political environment that links these seemingly distant contexts.

Imagery of ordinary elements such as casual clothing with logos, plants, silver jewelry, and gifted charms adorns Varela Perera’s pieces, subtly reframing one’s perception of the mundane by introducing surreal aspects into familiar scenes and circumstances, akin to the transformative nature of literary magical realism.

The phrase “I am neither from here nor from there”, derived from a seventies song by Facundo Cabral, may evoke a profound sense of nostalgia while hinting at a state of in-betweenness, detachment, and deep longing in rich, saturated hues. In grappling with cultural and emotional displacement, the artist exposes tension and delves into the nuances of hybrid identities while laying bare their vulnerabilities and sources of light and joy. A collection of instants preserved, ultimately becomes a heartfelt declaration of devotion to others.